Arm Exercise Apparatus

ABSTRACT

An arm exercise apparatus is disclosed which includes a substantially rigid framework having a stand supporting a first, a second and a third frame member, a rod flexibly coupled to the first frame member at a vicinity of a first end of the rod, the rod having a second end opposite to the first end for being held by a user&#39;s hand during an exercise, a first elastic band coupling the rod at a predetermined location to the second frame member, the predetermined location being between the first end and the second end and having a predetermined distance to the first end, the first elastic band exerting a first force at the rod, and a second elastic band coupling the rod to the third frame member, the second elastic band exerting a second force at the rod countering the first force, wherein the rod is statically suspended in a space between the second and the third frame member.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates generally to the field of arm exercise apparatus, and, more particularly, to an arm exercise apparatus using elastic materials to provide resistance.

Physical fitness is widely recognized as a key component to good health. Numerous kinds of exercise equipment have been developed to facilitate people's physical exercises. Conventional arm exercise equipment generally utilizes weights to provide resistance to user motions. As weights and hence gravity force is one dimensional, such conventional exercise equipment have limited freedom of motion. As such what is needed is an exercise apparatus that can provide resistance to large range of motion for arm exercises.

SUMMARY

An arm exercise apparatus is disclosed which includes a substantially rigid framework having a stand supporting a first, a second and a third frame member, a rod flexibly coupled to the first frame member at a vicinity of a first end of the rod, the rod having a second end opposite to the first end for being held by a user's hand during an exercise, a first elastic band coupling the rod at a predetermined location to the second frame member, the predetermined location being between the first end and the second end and having a predetermined distance to the first end, the first elastic band exerting a first force at the rod, and a second elastic band coupling the rod to the third frame member, the second elastic band exerting a second force at the rod countering the first force, wherein the rod is statically suspended in a space between the second and the third frame member.

In an embodiment, the arm exercise apparatus includes a substantially rigid framework having a stand supporting a border frame, a rod having a first end and a second end opposite to the first end, the second end serving as a handle for a user during an exercise, a first elastic band having a first terminal coupled to the rod at the first end thereof, and a second terminal coupled to the rod at a predetermined location between the first end and the second end, the first elastic band being secured by a first edge of the border frame at a location between the first and the second terminal, and a second elastic band with a third terminal coupled to the rod at the first end thereof, and fourth terminal coupled to the rod at the predetermined location, the second elastic band being secured by a second edge of the border frame at a location between the third and the fourth terminal, wherein the first and the second elastic band respectively urge the rod toward opposite directions, and wherein the first and the second edge are at opposite sides of the border frame with the rod suspended in the space therebetween.

In another embodiment, the arm exercise apparatus includes a substantially rigid framework having a stand supporting a first and second border frame, a first rod suspended by a first and a second elastic band in the space confined by the first border frame, the first elastic band coupling the first rod to a first edge of the first border frame, the second elastic band coupling the first rod to a second edge of the first border frame, the first and second edge being at opposite sides of the first border frame, and a second rod suspended by a third and a fourth elastic band within the space confined by the second border frame, the third elastic band coupling the second rod to a third edge of the second border frame, the second elastic band coupling the second rod to a fourth edge of the second border frame, the third and fourth edge being at opposite sides of the second border frame.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 illustrates a resistance arm exercise apparatus in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 illustrates an alternative arm exercise apparatus in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a magnified view of a fixture in the circular border frame for securing the elastic bands.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a first end of the rod.

FIG. 5 is a top view of the rod at a location where the elastic bands are attached as shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a side view of an arm exercise apparatus in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 7 is a front view of a two-arm exercise apparatus in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure.

The drawings accompanying and forming part of this specification are included to depict certain aspects of the disclosure. A clearer conception of the disclosure, and of the components and operation of systems provided with the disclosure, will become more readily apparent by referring to the exemplary, and therefore non-limiting, embodiments illustrated in the drawings, wherein like reference numbers (if they occur in more than one view) designate the same elements. The disclosure may be better understood by reference to one or more of these drawings in combination with the description presented herein.

DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure relates to an elastic band resistance exercise apparatus for arm exercises. A preferred embodiment of the present disclosure will be described hereinafter with reference to the attached drawings.

FIG. 1 illustrates a resistance arm exercise apparatus in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure. The arm exercise apparatus includes an elongated rod 101 suspended in an approximately horizontal position at two locations by a framework which includes a stand 115, a circular border frame 112 and a L-shaped frame member 118. In an embodiment, a first suspending location is a first end 107 of the rod 101, where an exemplary elastic band 125 links the first end 107 to the L-shaped frame member 118. A hook 122 on the L-shaped frame member 118 and a hook 128 on the first end 107 serves to secure the elastic band 125. A second suspending location is at approximately a middle of the rod 101, where the rod 101 is exemplarily pulled by four elastic bands 142, 144, 146 and 148. The elastic bands 142 and 146 pulls horizontally in opposite direction. Similarly, the elastic bands 144 and 148 pulls vertically in opposite direction. One end of the elastic band 142 is attached to the rod 101, and the other end of the elastic band 142 is attached to the circular border frame 112 by a hook 132 mounted thereon. The circular border frame 112 is fixed to the stand 115 which in turn is fixed to the L-shaped frame member 118. Similarly, the elastic band 144 is attached to the circular border frame 112 by a hook 134; the elastic band 146 is attached to the circular border frame 112 by a hook 136; and the elastic band 148 is attached to the circular border frame 112 by a hook 138. In an embodiment, the elastic bands 142 and 146 are made of one piece of rubber tube going through a hole 151 in the rod 101. Similarly, the elastic bands 144 and 148 are made of one piece of rubber tube going through a hole 155 in the rod 101. Alternatively, the elastic bands 142 and 148 can be made of one piece of rubber tube; and the elastic bands 144 and 146 can be made of one piece of rubber tube.

Referring again to FIG. 1, a second end 104 of the rod 101 is for a user's hand to hold onto. When the user lifts the second end 104, the elastic band 148 will resist the lift. Similarly, when the user pushes down the second end 104, the elastic band 144 will resist the push; when the user pushes left, the elastic band 146 will resist the push; and when the user pushes right, the elastic band 142 will resist the push. As a result, the user's hand can move in any direction and get an arm exercise.

FIG. 2 illustrates an alternative arm exercise apparatus in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure. A difference here is that the first end 107 of the rod 101 is suspended by four elastic bands 212, 214, 216 and 218, so that the L-shaped frame member 118 shown in FIG. 1 can be spared. One end of each of the elastic bands 212, 214, 216 and 218 is attached to a different location of the circular border frame 112 and the other end of each of the elastic bands 212, 214, 216 and 218 is attached to the first end 107. In an embodiment, the elastic bands 212 and 142 are made of one piece of rubber tube; the elastic bands 214 and 144 are made of one piece of rubber tube; the elastic bands 216 and 146 are made of one piece of rubber tube; and the elastic bands 218 and 148 are made of one piece of rubber tube.

FIG. 3 is a magnified view of a fixture 220 in the circular border frame 112 for securing the elastic bands 114 and 214. The fixture 220 includes a notch 302 at an outer edge of the circular border frame 112. The notch 302 has a narrow entrance and a wider and rounded bottom. As shown in FIG. 2, in an embodiment, the elastic bands 144 and 214 are made of one piece of rubber tube. In this case, a stretched rubber tube become narrower so that it can enter the notch 302 through its narrow entrance. The wider and rounded bottom 306 can accommodate rubber tube in a relax state. A diameter of the bottom 306 is slightly smaller than an outer diameter of the rubber tube, so that the notch 302 maintains a squeeze on the rubber tube to prevent it from sliding. In an embodiment, the circular border frame 112 is cut out from a plywood of, for instance, 20 mm thickness, so that there is enough friction from the squeeze to secure the rubber tube in place.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the first end 107 of the rod 101. The first end 107 has exemplary a horizontal slot 402 and a vertical slot 406 cross through a cross-sectional center of the rod 101. The slots 402 and 406 are for accommodating rubber band, so that the elastic bands 214 and 218 are made of one piece of rubber band which is squeezed in the vertical slot 406; and the elastic bands 212 and 216 are made of one piece of rubber band which is squeezed in the horizontal slot 402.

FIG. 5 is a top view of the rod 101 at a location 230 where the elastic bands 142, 144, 146 and 148 are attached as shown in FIG. 1. The rod 101 has a slot opening 502 with a wide end 506. The wide end 506 is for threading a rubber tube therethrough. Then the rubber tube is squeezed into the narrow end of the slot opening 502. Referring again to FIG. 2, the elastic bands 144 and 148 are made of one piece of rubber tube going through and secured by the slot opening 502. Similarly, the elastic bands 142 and 146 are made of one piece of rubber tube going through and secured by another slot opening in the rod 101 perpendicular to the slot opening 502.

FIG. 6 is a side view of an arm exercise apparatus in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure. Rings 602 and 606 each has a diameter large enough to accommodate the rod 101 and still leave rooms for rubber tubes to loop around. As shown in FIG. 6, elastic bands 622 and 625 are made of one piece of rubber tube looped around the ring 602; elastic bands 632 and 635 are made of one piece of rubber tube looped around the ring 606; elastic bands 642 and 645 are made of one piece of rubber tube looped around the ring 602; and elastic bands 652 and 655 are made of one piece of rubber tube looped around the ring 606. In an embodiment, the rubber tubes 622 and 632 are of one piece; the rubber tubes 625 and 635 are of one piece; the rubber tubes 642 and 652 are of one piece; but the rubber tubes 645 and 655 are separated, and all are secured by the circular border frame 112 at different locations. A releasable clamp 613 stops the ring 602 near the first end 107 of the rod 101. Another releasable clamp 617 stops the ring 606 at a desired location of the rod 101. When the releasable clamp 617 is far away from the releasable clamp 613, the rubber tubes 622-655 are more stretched and hence provide more resistance, and vice versa.

Referring again to FIG. 6, at the second end 104 of the rod 101, a handle 662 approximately perpendicular to the rod 101 is rigidly connected thereto for an alternative way of holding by the user. Because the rings 602 and 606 are not attached to the rod 101, the handle 662 can be rotated to any angle referencing to a ground plane. When the releasable clamps 613 and 617 are released, the rod 101 can be withdrawn from the rings 602 and 606, so that a different rod can be used for the arm exercise.

FIG. 7 is a front view of a two-arm exercise apparatus in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure. Two circular border frames 702 and 705 are connected by a board 708. In embodiments, the circular border frames 702 and 705 and the board 708 are cut out from a one piece of plywood. The circular border frame 702 suspends a first rod 742 through elastic bands 754; and the circular border frame 705 suspends a second rod 745 through elastic bands 757. The first rod 742 and the second rod 745 all a user to exercise both hands at the same time.

Referring again to FIG. 7, the circular border frames 702 and 705 are connected to a support structure including vertical boards 712 and 715 and horizontal boards 717 and 719 to provide a desired height for the rods 742 and 745. The bottom horizontal boards 719 is coupled to a base board 720 by hinges 734 and 737, so that the frameworks 702 and 705 as well as the rods 742 and 745 can lean forward or backward to fit a user of different height. In embodiments, weights, such as bottles of water, can be placed on the base board 720 to stabilize the two-arm exercise apparatus. In another embodiment, each of the vertical boards 712 and 715 has two slidable sections (not shown) hold together by bolts and nuts, so that a height of the vertical boards 712 and 715 can be adjusted to accommodate users of different height.

Although the disclosure is illustrated and described herein as embodied in one or more specific examples, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the disclosure and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the scope of the disclosure, as set forth in the following claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An arm exercise apparatus comprising: a substantially rigid framework having a stand supporting a first, a second and a third frame member; a rod flexibly coupled to the first frame member at a vicinity of a first end of the rod, the rod having a second end opposite to the first end for being held by a user's hand during an exercise; a first elastic band coupling the rod at a predetermined location to the second frame member, the predetermined location being between the first end and the second end and having a predetermined distance to the first end, the first elastic band exerting a first force at the rod; and a second elastic band coupling the rod to the third frame member, the second elastic band exerting a second force at the rod countering the first force, wherein the rod is statically suspended in a space between the second and the third frame member.
 2. The arm exercise apparatus of claim 1, wherein first frame member is away from a plane the second and the third frame member cross.
 3. The arm exercise apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first, the second and the third frame member cross a common plane.
 4. The arm exercise apparatus of claim 1, wherein the rod is flexibly coupled to the first frame member by a third elastic band.
 5. The arm exercise apparatus of claim 4 further comprising a fourth elastic band coupling the rod at a vicinity of the first end to a fourth frame member of the framework, wherein the a third force exerted on the rod by the third elastic band is countered by a fourth force exerted on the rod by the fourth elastic band.
 6. The arm exercise apparatus of claim 5, wherein the first, the second, the third and the fourth frame member are edges of a border frame of the framework.
 7. The arm exercise apparatus of claim 5 further comprising a first ring with the rod inserted therein, wherein the first ring is maintained at the vicinity the first end for hooking the third and the fourth elastic band to the rod.
 8. The arm exercise apparatus of claim 7, wherein the first ring is maintained at the vicinity of the first end by a first releasable clamp clamping to the rod next to the first ring on the second end side, wherein when released, the releasable clamp can slide along the rod.
 9. The arm exercise apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second elastic band is coupled to the rod at the predetermined location.
 10. The arm exercise apparatus of claim 9 further comprising: a fifth elastic band coupling the rod at the predetermined location to a fifth frame member of the framework; and a sixth elastic band coupling the rod at the predetermined location to a sixth frame member of the framework, wherein the fifth and the sixth elastic band respectively urge the rod to opposite directions, and when viewed along a length of the rod, the fifth elastic band is substantially perpendicular to the first elastic band, and the sixth elastic band is substantially perpendicular to the second elastic band.
 11. The arm exercise apparatus of claim 10, wherein the first, the second, the fifth and sixth elastic bands are made of rubber tubes.
 12. The arm exercise apparatus of claim 10, wherein the second, the third, the fifth and the sixth frame member are edges of a border frame of the framework with the second and the third frame members being on opposite sides of the border frame, and the fifth and the sixth frame member being on opposite sides of the border frame.
 13. The arm exercise apparatus of claim 10 further comprising a second ring with the rod inserted therein, wherein the second ring is maintained at the first predetermined location for hooking up the first, the second, the fifth and the sixth elastic band to the rod.
 14. The arm exercise apparatus of claim 13, wherein the second ring is maintained at the first predetermined location by a second releasable clamp clamping to the rod next to the first ring on the first end side, wherein when released, the releasable clamp is slidable to a different location for adjusting the predetermined distance and hence the forces exerted on the rod by the first, the second, the fifth and the sixth elastic band.
 15. The arm exercise apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first and the second elastic bands are made of one piece of rubber tube going through an opening in the rod.
 16. The arm exercise apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a D-shaped handle attached to the second end of the rod to provide a vertical handle for the user.
 17. An arm exercise apparatus comprising: a substantially rigid framework having a stand supporting a border frame; a rod having a first end and a second end opposite to the first end, the second end serving as a handle for a user during an exercise; a first elastic band having a first terminal coupled to the rod at the first end thereof, and a second terminal coupled to the rod at a predetermined location between the first end and the second end, the first elastic band being secured by a first edge of the border frame at a location between the first and the second terminal; and a second elastic band with a third terminal coupled to the rod at the first end thereof, and fourth terminal coupled to the rod at the predetermined location, the second elastic band being secured by a second edge of the border frame at a location between the third and the fourth terminal, wherein the first and the second elastic band respectively urge the rod toward opposite directions, and wherein the first and the second edge are at opposite sides of the border frame with the rod suspended in the space therebetween.
 18. An arm exercise apparatus comprising: a substantially rigid framework having a stand supporting a first and second border frame; a first rod suspended by a first and a second elastic band in the space confined by the first border frame, the first elastic band coupling the first rod to a first edge of the first border frame, the second elastic band coupling the first rod to a second edge of the first border frame, the first and second edge being at opposite sides of the first border frame; and a second rod suspended by a third and a fourth elastic band within the space confined by the second border frame, the third elastic band coupling the second rod to a third edge of the second border frame, the second elastic band coupling the second rod to a fourth edge of the second border frame, the third and fourth edge being at opposite sides of the second border frame.
 19. The arm exercise apparatus of claim 18, wherein the stand has two slidably engaged sections for height adjustment.
 20. The arm exercise apparatus of claim 18, wherein the stand has a hinge to engage a base. 